Vacuum-tube structure and method of assembling the same



Jan. 25,1927.

M. H. RYDER VACUUM TUBE STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME Filed NOV. 7, 1922 INVENTOR Mar/r h. Ryder @rlgr ysszs- A {Q ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

m H. RYDER, OI WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WISTDIGHO URI ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

VACUUM-TUBE STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE Application filed November 7, 1922. Serial No. 589,488.

My invention relates to evacuated electric devices of the three-electrode type and particularly to means for and methods of attaching the filament and the filament spring to the supply connections.

In its broad scope, an ob ect of my inventionis to provide means whereby rigid mechanical connections and highly conductmg electrical connections may be obtained conducting elements of described.

tween the various devices of the class More specifically, tion is to rovide a metallic connection between a iilament element and ductors adapted to serve as supporting means and as supply means therefor, whereby de creases are effected in the temperature necessary for successfully welding the several parts mentioned. Y

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a method of assembling the several parts of a vacuum-tube structure which efi'ects material economies in the final cost of the finished article. a a

In the design and manufacture .of a vacuum tube adapted to operate upon extremely low filament consumptions, as, for instance, a quarter of a watt or less, it was found necessary to redesign every essential element of the usual high-p wer-tube. structure. This was accomplished, along with other modifications, by employing, as a filament a platinum strip approximately oneeighth as thick as fine tissue paper and onehundredth of an inch wide. V

The junction of such fragile filaments to the supportingelements b means of welds was at first, accomplish with great dif ficulty, inasmuch as the nature of the material was such as to require high temperatures for the weldin operation. As a result, the filament tende to burn off dur' g the weldat one end to the filament and at t e other.

end to the su porting element.

It has further been found that,-when a spring is employed to support one end of the filament, it is esirable to utilize a nicklesteel strip as an intermediate connection bean object of my inven-.

tween the, sprin and its su rt' element, as hereinat ter explainedl With these and other objects and applications in view, myf invention further consists inthe details of construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an evacuated electric device embodyin my invention, a portion of the containing well being broken away;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged front and side elevational detail views, respectively, of the connection shown in Fig. 1 between the filament spring and the su porting rods;

Figs. 4 and 5 are .e arged front and side elevational detail views, respectively, of a preferred form of mounting tip designed 1'03 use between the filament and the carrier ro Fig. 6 is a side elevational detail view of the filament and supporting elements therefor shown in F i 1.

In Fig. 1 is sgown a vacuum-tube device 1 embodying a design in which the filament power consumption is less than a. quarter of of a watt as compared with power consumptions of from three to five watts in tubes of many of the ordinary types. The vacuumtube device comprises an enclosing envelope 2 having a re-entrant portion 3 at one end termina in a support ng press 4.

A linear y extending filament 5 has its two ends welded to substantially flat nickel-steel tips or connectorsti and 7, rezsectively. A carrier rod 8, which is embedd in the recs 4, has its upper and welded to the ower mounting tip 7. The carrier rod 8, which may be made of nickel-steel, is extended through the ress 4 and is provided with a terminal con uctor 9 electrically connected thereto and designed to serve as one supply lead for the filament 5.

A filament spring 11, which constitutes the sub'ect matter of a ending application of H. Ryder, Serial 0. 550,485 filed April 7 1922, and assigned to the estinghouse Fllectric and Manufacturing Company, may be made of such materials as tungsten or molybdenum and comprises a central portion 12 and upper and lower bent-back portions 13 and 14, respectively. The nature of the bends connecting the several bent-back portions is such as provide a spring connection therebetween. The lower bent-back portion 14 is somewhat shorter than the upper portion 13 and is welded to the mounting tip 6.

A carrier rod 15 of nickel or nickel-steel, which is supported from the press 4, has a strip of nickel-steel 16 welded to the upper end thereof in such manner as to provide a portion of V-shape adapted to receive the upper end portion 13 of the filament spring 11. The connection is made rigid by welding. The carrier rod 15 may be extended through the press 4 and provided with a terminal conductor 17 electrically connected thereto and designed to serve as the remaining supply lead for the filament 5.

A grid member 18 of helical shape is disposed about the filamcnt 5 and is carried by a structure 19 supported in the press 4. The structure 19 may be extended through the press by means of a conductor 21 electrically connected thereto and designed to provide an external circuit terminal for the grid 18.

A cylindrical anode plate member 22 is so disposed as to completely surround the filament element 5 and is supported by carrier rods 23 and 24 extending from the press 4. One of the carrier rods, as 23, may be extended through the press to provide an external circuit connection by means of a conductor 25 having one end electrically connected thereto.

The mounting tip 26 shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is distinguished from that shown in Fig. 1 in the provision of a bent-back tip of V- shape. rather than a fiat strip. In this design, the supporting rod 8 is first welded to one of the bent-back portions of the mounting tip and the filament then dis osed between said end portions and welded therein. The width of the mounting strips shown in Fig. 1, and the bent-back portions of Fi 4 and 5 is somewhat greater than that o the filament 5 in order to admit of the formation of a weld wherein the molten material complete] surrounds the filament 5.

A (fiasirable method for mounting the filament springin the vacuum-tube structure is as follows:

Assuming. the several carrier rods, the grid 18 and the anode 22 to be in position, the mounting tips 6 and 7 are first welded to the upper and lower ends of the filament 5. The lower free end 14 of the filament spring 11 is then welded to the upper mounting tip 6. The filament is next suspended in the space enclosed by the grid 18, and the upper free end of the filament spring 11 is welded to the upper end of the carrier rod 15. The lower end of the filament 5 is then drawn downwardly until the spring 11 exerts the proper tension on the filament 5, whereupon the lower mounting tip 7 is welded to the carrier rod 8.

In view of the foregoing description, it may be seen that an advantage of my invention is the provision of a very rugged vacuum-tube construction, wherein decreases are effected in the breakage of the filament during transit and wherein decreases are effected in the resistance of the welded connection itself. The latter is of importance in view of the relatively low filament-exciting potentials employed in the tube embodying my invention. Other advantages will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

While I have described certain forms of my invention and while I have pointed out certain of the most obvio purposes thereof, I do not intend that fiie language employed in the following claims shall be limited to the precise features described, but I intend that the claims shall be construed to cover all combinations that are fairly in cluded therein when read in connection with the prior art, regardless of the details and the functions mentioned in the description or illustrated in the drawing.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a filament, a conductor leading thereto and a connecting piece welded to said filament and said conductor, the portion of said connectin piece fused during said welding surroun ing said filament.

2. In combination, a filament, a conductor leading thereto and a connecting piece welded to said filament and said conductor, said connecting piece being of greater width than said filament at the junction of the two, whereby during the welding operation the connecting piece will be caused to enclose said filament.

3. In combination, a filament, a support therefor including a spring exerting a tension on said filament and a connecting piece welded at one end to the filament whereby the line of action of said spring is along said connecting piece.

4. In an evacuated electric device, a filament, mounting tips comprising an alloy of nickel and steel welded to opposite ends of said filament, a carrier rod welded to the mounting tip at one end at said filament, a filament spring having one end welded to the remaining mounting tip, a second carrier rod and a strip of material comprising an alloy of nickel and steel having one end welded to said second carrier rod and providing a jaw, the other end of said filament sprin being disposed therebetween and we ded therein.

5. In an evacuated electric device, a member of substantially V-shape comprising an alloy of nickel and steel, a filament having one end disposed between the side portions of said member. and welded therein, a carrier rod welded to said member, a mounting tip welded to the other end of the filament,

filament, a

ber of substantially V-shape consistin .of I

an alloy of'nickel and steel, a filament aving one end disposed between the side portions of said member and welded therein,

a carrier rod welded to said 'member a mounting ti welded tothe (ilther end of th:

ament ring" aving one en welded to said moun iz mg tip, a second carrier rod and a strip of material comprisin an alloy of nickel and steel having one on welded to second carrier rod and providing a jaw, the other end of said filament spring being disposed therebetween and weldedtherein.

7. The method of assemblin the parts of a vacuum-tube structure inclu ing a hollow grid positioned therein and carrier'rods adacent to upper and lower ends thereof, said method consisting in securing the supply end of a filament to one end of a filament s ring, securing the remaining end of said ament spring to said upper carrier rod, exerting a force on said filament and spring until the roper tension obtains in said filament and then welding the lower end of N said filament to said lower carrier rod.

opposite ends welded to said second curing the upper end of a filament to one end of a filament spring, riigidly the remaining end of said ament spring to said upper carrier rod, positioniu said filament in the space enclosed by sai s exerting a force on the lower end of saiii filament until the proper tension obtains 1n said Element and then welding said lowerfilament end to said lower carrier rod.

9. The method of assembling the parts of a vacuum-tube structure including a hol-,

low grid and upper and lower filament-carrier rods, said method consisting in welding a mounting tip to the lower end of a filament, securing the upfer end of the filament to the lower end 0 a, filament spring, suspending the filament in the space enclosed by saidgrid securing the upper end of the filament spring to said upper carrier rod, and then securing said mounting tip to said lower carrier. rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of October, 1922.

MABKH. RYDER.

a second carrier rod, and a filament spr ng havin opposite ends welded to said secon carrie rod and to find filament-mounting tip.

6. In an evacuated electric device, a member of substantially V-shape consistin .of

an alloy of nickel and steel, a filament aving one end disposed between the side portions of said member and welded therein, a carrier rod welded to said member a mounting tiglwelded to the other end of the filament, a ament springhaving one end welded to said mounting tip, a second carrier rod and a strip of material comprising an alloy of nickel and steel having one an welded to second carrier rod and providing a jaw, the other end of said filament spring being disposed therebetween and welded therein.

7. The method of assemblin the parts of a vacuum-tube structure including a hollow grid positioned therein and carrier rods ad- Jacent to upper and lower ends thereof, said method consisting in securing the supply end of a filament to one end of a filament s ring, securing the remaining end of said ament spring to said upper carrier rod, exerting a force on said filament and spring until the roper tension obtains in said filament and then welding the lower end of Ill said filament to said lower carrier rod.

to said upper carrier rod, positionin said filament and then welding said lowerfila-ment end to said lower carrier rod.

9. The method of assembling the parts of a vacuum-tube structure including a hollow grid and upper and lower filament-carrier rods, said method consisting in welding a mounting tip to the lower end of a filament, securing the up r end of the filament to the lower end 02 filament spring, suspending the filament in the space enclosed by said grid, securing the upper end of the filament spring to said upper carrier rod, and then securing said mounting tip to said lower carrier rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of October, 19%.

MARK H. RYDER.

Certificate of Correction.

Patent No. 1,615,654.

MARK H.

Granted January 25, 1927, to RYDER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above mentioned patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 94, after the word of insert the words nickel or of; page 3, line 3, claim 5, for the word find read said, and line 15, claim 6, after the word to insert the word said; and that the and Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same conform to the record ofthe case in the Patent Office.

igned and sealed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1927.

, x M. J. Moons, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

Patent No. 1,615,654. Granted January 25, 1927, to

\ MARK H. RYDER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the abovementioned patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 94, after the word of insert the words nickel or of; page 3, line 3, claim 5, for the word find read acid, and line 15, claim 6, after the word to insert the word said; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same 7 mag: conform to the record ofthe case in the Patent Office.

gned and sealed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1W7.

[sun] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

